294 
ALCEDO BENGALENSIS. 
tail, and darts with an unerring aim on the tiny inhabitants of the pool. It is bold and regaidlcss of man to 
a degree, not hesitating to seize a fish close to a bystander ; and, indeed, I have more than once seen it take 
up its quarters over my head while camped on the sandy bed of a forest river, and dash ovei and ovei a to ain 
into the water at my feet. It is possessed of the keenest sight, pouncing often on its prey from a very 
considerable height above the water. It usually lives in pairs, which dwell together on terms of the greatest 
sociability ; on one joining its companion the two become quite garrulous for some minutes, uttering in 
consort their clear piercing little whistle, accompanied by a vigorous bobbing up and down of heads and 
sundry spasmodic up-jerkings of their tails. The flight of this species is very swift; it flashes past like an 
aiTow, its blue plumage gleaming against the sombre green of the forest, and its clear note often rousing the 
tired sportsman from his reverie. I have more than once observed it hovering for an instant close to the 
water, it having suddenly checked itself in its flight, perhaps to observe some fish too deep at the moment to 
pounce upon. Swinhoe notes the same habit, remarking that it is done close to the surface of the water and 
not high up after the manner of the last species. Concerning this little bird’s temerity m seizing fish, there 
is an interesting note in ' Stray Feathers,’ 1873, hy Mr. H. J. Rainey, which shows likewise the occasional 
rapacity of the Brahminy Kite. This gentleman writes: — “I observed a Brahminy Kite make a rather 
leisurely swoop at a fish swimming on the surface of the stream ; but when almost within its grasp a King- 
fisher (A. bengalenm ), which had darted down swiftly, carried off the prey. This appears to have infuriated 
the Kite, and it immediately followed in hot pursuit of the Kingfisher, and after a long and ‘ stern chase, 
it eventually succeeded in seizing its unresisting quarry ; holding the screeching bird securely in its talons it 
bore it to the shore, and after complacently plucking the feathers of its (then still living) victim it set about 
devouring its flesh with evident satisfaction. On my approaching the spot, soon after the Kite had commenced 
its savage repast, it flew away, leaving little else than a few bare bones of the Kingfisher (and, as 
/should have added, me vowing vengeance against the whole race of Brahminies). Layard speaks of this 
little Kingfisher being caught in Ceylon by Moormen, who export the skins to China, where they are used 
for embellishing fans. This trade does not seem to be carried on now. 
Nidification . — In South, West, and Central Ceylon the breeding-season of this species is from February 
until June ; but in the north I have known it to nest in November. It excavates a hole about 2 feet 6 inches 
or 3 feet deep in the soft or upper earth of a stream or river -bank, or, in fact, in any situation where such 
soil exists, for I have found its nest in the sides of the cavities excavated by coolies in making roads and 
far away from any water. At the end of the hole the little miners scoop a cavity about 6 inches in diameter 
and deposit frequently a layer of small fish-bones on the earth, on which the eggs are laid. In this its habits 
are one with those of its European representative. The eggs are said in India to be usually five to seven in 
number ; three are, however, sometimes laid, as Dr. Holden writes me of finding a nest with three young 
in Hewahette. They are very round and glossy, and pinky white when unblown, averaging 08 by 068 inch. 
One specimen brought to me as the egg of this species, from Baddegama, measured 0 81 by 0 / 6 inch. 
